Roller slot sizing machine



April 19, 1949. B. E. BALDUF ROLLER SLOT SIZING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21 1945 ATTO'Q/VEY April 19, 1949. B, E A D F I 2,467,651

ROLLER SLOT SIZING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 19, 1949. B. E. BALDUF ROLLER SLOT SIZING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 21, 1945 April 19, 1949. E. BALDUF 2,467,651

' ROLLER SLOT SIZING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1945 a Shets-Sheet 5 /7 I j F170. [0

'April 19, 1949. B. E. BALDUF 2,

I ROLLER SLOT SIZING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTOE/Vfy Patented Apr. 19, 1949 ROLLER SLOT SIZING MACHINE Bruno E. Balduf, Rockford, Ill., assignor to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application December 21, 1945, Serial No. 636,533

8 Claims. (Cl. 209-406) This invention has to do with the art of separating rollable articles in accordance with their sizes and has particular utility in the sizing of fresh fruit such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, apples, cantaloupes and the like.

The invention aims at satisfying the following commercial needs: (1) need for a sizer having a relatively large capacity, (2) the need for a Sizer which accomplishes the segregation of the fruit handled thereby with a relatively high degree of precision, (3) the need for a sizer which will handle fruit differin in diameter over a relatively large range and (4) the need for a sizer which may be readily adjusted to vary the character of the groups into which the fruit is separated.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest in the following descrip-. tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic side elevational view taken in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an inside elevational view of one of the drop roll guides of the invention.

Fig. 7 is an end elevational view of said drop roll guide taken in the direction of the arrow 1 in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an outside elevational view of said drop roll guide taken in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the drop roll guide as shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on the line l0lll of Fig. 1 and illustrating the operation of the invention.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross sectional View of a modified form of the invention in which the drop roller thereof is supplied with a series of rings for handling fruit with the axis thereof parallel with the rollers when the length of the axis of the fruit is substantially less than the diameter thereof.

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line iZ-lZ of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view of a drop roll of the invention equipped with a SeCOIl modi 2 fied form of fruit positioning ring formed prefer: ably of spring wire.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the sizer shown therein may be designated generally by the numeral l5 and includes a frame l6, a sizing conveyor I1, and. a fruit segregating and discharge mechanism l8.

The frame 16 The frame I6 includes two side assemblies [9 and '20 which are reverse duplicates of each other and which are rigidly joined in spaced relation as by transverse angle iron members 2| and 22 (Fig. 2). Reference numbers used in the detailed description of assembly l9 will be employed in the drawings with prime attached to designate corresponding parts of the assembly 20.

The side assembly 19 The assembly l9 has a pair of angle iron legs 25 and 26 which are disposed in close parallel relation, the leg 25 being off-set inwardly from the leg 26 and joined thereto by both of these legs being welded to a horizontal angle bearing support 21 having a brace 28 extending from its outer end to the lower end of the leg 25. At the opposite end of the machine, the assembly I9 has a pair of similar angle iron legs 30 and 31 which are similarly related to each other and are connected together by being welded together to a horizontal bearing support 32, the outer end of which is connected by a brace 33 extending to the lower end of the leg 30. The adjacent end of the transverse angle member H is welded to leg 25 and horizontal bearing support 21. The adjacent end of the transverse angle member 22 is welded to the leg 30 and horizontal bearing support 32. The assemblies l9 and 2 0 are also rigidly connected by transverse angle members 34 and 35 which are welded to the lower ends of the legs 26 and 3i.

Provided on the bearing supports 2'! and 32 are bearings 36 and 31 respectively.

The legs 26 and 3! are connected by a horizon? tal member 38 as by welding. Supported in par allel relation with the member 38 and spaced be low and inwardly therefrom on the inner ends of lugs 39 provided on the legs 26 and 3| is a rail 40, opposite ends 4| and 42 of which curve upwardly and are supported by suitable spacers 43 and 44 on the bearing supports 21 and 32. Fixed upon and extending outwardly from legs 26 and SI are bearings 45 and 46. The upper ends of the legs 25 and 26 are provided respectively with vertical slots and 5!. The upper ends of legs v3 and 30 are provided with corresponding vertical slots 52 and 53.

Welded onto the upper ends of the legs 25, 28, 30 and 3| is a horizontal plate 54, opposite end portions of which curve downwardly and are connected to the bearing support members 21' and 32. Welded onto the plate 54 is a vertical plate 51. Welded to the inner upper edge of the plate 51 is an angle member 58 on which housing brackets 59 are provided for supporting a housing 60 which encloses the plate 51 and adjacent mechanism. The housing extends inwardly to provide a fruit guard wall 0| at that side of the sizing conveyor I'I.

Carried by the plate 54 and the angle members 58 are upper and lower chain rails 65 and 66. Provided on the inner edge of the plate.5 l is a primary roller wheel track 01, the upper surf ace of which is preferably provided with rack teeth 68. Inthe assembly 20, the corresponding track 61' has a smoothnpper surface, the reason for which will be made clear hereinafter.

"Secured at its lower end to the leg and disposed inwardly from the left-hand curved railend 4| is aninner curved rail I2, the upper end of which is connected by a pivot '13 to a terminal rail 14.

Fixed at its lowerendon the leg and disposed inwardly from the curved rail end 42 is an inner curved rail T5, the upper end of which is connected !by a pivot 70 to a terminal rail 11.

The rail M has a lotted member I8 which lies against the inner face of the leg 25 and is adius tably secured thereto by a bolt I9 which extends through this member and through the slot in the leg 25.

The rail 1! has a similar slotted member 80 which lies against the inner face of the leg 30 and is adjustably secured to the latter by a bolt 8| .which extends throughthe slot 52 in the leg and through slotted member 80.

-Fixed, on the frame I0 atoppositeedges of the segregatingand discharge mechanism. is are fruit ramps 83 and 84.

S ecu red to upper ends of the legs 26 and 3I by bolts-.85 and 80 which pass respectively through theslots 5| and .53 is a sizer control and baffle support .plate 81. This. plate ha a lower flange 8 8 which.-is..united as .bybolts89 to a channel member.90.having. a rack 0i and a slot 92. extend? ingpractically theentire length of the channel 930. Passing through slots 93 in the plate 81 are .holts94 .which adjustably secure angle sections 95 tos'aid plate, each of these section haying a rail section 96 provided thereon. surfaceof each of these sections is preferably provided with rack teeth 97 and the sections 95 are -capable ofbeing secured on the plate 8! so as to causeall of the, rail sections 08 to be assembled in.a'straight butdownwardly sloping line as shown, in Figs, 2 and 3. Corresponding rail sections 96 in theframe side assembly 20 have smoothupper surfaces for a reason which will berna'de clear hereinafter.

Sizing conveyor 17 This conveyor includes shafts I02 and I03 which are journaled respectively in bearings 3636 and I:'I 3I" and carry spaced sprockets I04 and I0 5respgctivelyf Suitable means (not shown) is provided for applying power to rotate the shaft I03 to drive the conveyor I'I.

Trained about the sprocket I 04 and I05 is a pair endless chains I06 which are provided with corresponding s'ets'of'inwardly' extending pivot ljhe upper 1 pins I01. Pivotally mounted on the pins I0! is a set of primary sizing rollers I08 having sleeves I00 and H0 at its opposite ends in which the pins I01 are received, these sleeves having necks lII which are of a reduced diameter for a reason which will be made clear hereinafter. Provided on each of the sleeves I09 05 a wheel in the form of a gear pinion II2 which rests upon the rail 61 and meshes with the rack teeth 68. Fixed on each sleeve H0 is a smooth faced Wheel II3 which rests upon the rail 61. The sleeves I09 and III) are provided respectively with annular grooves H4 and H5, the purpose for which Will be made clear hereinafter. 15

Provided between each of the chains I06 and adjacent ends of the rollers I08 is a set of movable roller guides I20 which are illustrated in detail in Figs. 6, '7, 8 and 9. Each guide I20 comprises a plate I2! of substantially triangular form having a horizontal slot I22 in its upper portion anda vertical slot I23 disposed centrally therein andopening downwardly from the middle of the slot I22 and perpendicular thereto. The slot I23 continue upwardly entirely through the plate I2I above the slot I22. the slot I23 is closed by a cap plate I25 which is secured to the plate I2I by screws I26. The plate I25 is thicker than the plate I2I, and the side edges of the slot I23 are reinforced by a flange I2! which adds to the thickness of the plate I2I throughout the extent of this flange to make the plate I2I equal in thicknes to the plate I25 in the area of the flange I21.

The guides I20 on each side of the sizer I5 are disposed in alternately reversed relation to each other as shown in Fig. 4, with each pair of adjacent ends overlapping, and with the neck III of one of the sleeves I09 or IIO extending through the slots I22 in the overlapping portions of that pair of guides, thus causing all of the guides I20 on each side of the machine to be linked together in an endless succession coextensive with the adjacent chain I05.

The slot I22 on each of the guides I20 isjust sufliciently long so that the sleeve necks III lie snugly in the extreme ends of these slots as shown in Fig. 4 when the guides I20 are supported by those portions of the chains I08 which ride upon the rails 66 and 66 and are a part of the upper flight of the conveyor I]. This is important as all the sizing done by the sizing conveyor I1 is accomplished by that portion of this conveyor comprised in said upper flight, and it is necessary while the sizing is being done for each of the guides I20 to be exactly centered relative to the two rollers I08 on which it is supported whereby the central axis of the slot I23 of that guide lies in a vertical plane which bisects the space between said pair of primary rollers I08.

In addition to the series of primary sizing rollers I08, the sizing conveyor II includes an endless series of movable rollers I30, each of which has trunnions I3I and I32 on its opposite ends. lilach of the rollers I30 is mounted on a pair of the guides I20 carried by an adjacent pair of the primary rollers I08 so that this roller I30 is vertically slideable in a plane bisecting the space between said pair of rollers I08 when the latter are disposed within the upper horizontal flight of the conveyor II. This is accomplished by the trunnions I3I and I32 of this roller I30 extending through the vertical slots I23 of the pair of guides I20 on which this roller is mounted (Fig.3). These trunnions are of a size to; make a close flt with the walls of the slots I23 whereby This open upper end of 1 the roller I30 is free to rotate but is confined by the close sliding fit of the trunnions I3-I and I32 'In the slots I to vertical movement in the aforesaid space bisecting plane.

' While a part of said upper flight of conveyor I1, each roller I is maintained in a horizontal position by a gear pinion I33 fixed ontrunnion IN and a wheel I34 fixed on the trunnion I32. The pinion I33 restsupon the track 96 and meshes with the rackiteetli 01 provided on the upper surface of said track The wheel I34 rests upon the smooth upper surface of the track 96'.

The trunnions I3I and I32 are provided respectively with grooves I and I36 which lie at all times in the planes of the grooves I I4 and I I5 respectively of the roller sleeves I09 and H0. In side assembly I9, the guide rails with upturned ends 4| and 42 and the guide rails 12, 14,15 and 11 all lie in the same longitudinal plane as the grooves H4 and I35. I

sideo ffthe machine the corresponding guide rails rute" frames lde'as'sembly 20 lie in the same plane-seine grooves H5 and I36. From this fact, it is seen that as the conveyor I1 is caused to trayerabour its endless path in the sizer I5, the

grooves 'I I4'and' I35 ride on the edges of the guide tracks aforementioned in 'theside assembly I9 fa'r'idfihe 'grooves 'II 5 and I36 ride on edges of .the'corresponding"guide tracks in the side assembly 20' so thatthe rollers having these grooves "are-camera rotate on these rails thus substanftially reducing" the friction incident to operating [the machine'and preserving all of the rollers in :5. proper alignment and relative spacing so that precision sizing may be accomplished by the sizer I5 with a relatively small amount of power. J. segregating and discharge mechanism 18 This mechanism includes a horizontal conveyor I40 having'a flat endless belt I4! which is trained about relatively long pulleys I42 mounted on-shafts' I43 and'144 which journal in bearings "45 and46; and 45' and 46' respectively. A suitable'power means (not shown) is connected to the shaft I44"for-'driving the conveyor I40 to cause -th'e",upper flight of the belt I4I to travel in the direction ofthe arrow I45.

I Mounted on'th channel members 90 is a series of'bafiies "I50, each of which has a vertical wall "1 5I and an inclined wall'l52 bent rearwardly from 'th'eupp'er' edge thereof. Upper and lower edges of'thebaffies' I50"are preferably provided with rubber cushions'l53'. These upper edges of the baffles I50 are provided with notches I54 to per- .mit them to extend upwardly between lower ends 7 of the guides I20as shown in Fig. 3.

Opposite ends of each baflle I50 are secured as by" screws "I56 to slide gibs I51 which slideably fitjover in'ner face's'of the channels 90 and 90'.

"Extending through the slots 92 and 92 in the channels 90 and 90' and through suitable aligned "holes inthegibs I51 of each baffle I50 is a shaft plat -paying fixed thereon gear pinions ISI and I I52-which mesh respectively with gear pinions "Opposite ends of each of the shafts I60 is jprovidedwith pins I to either of which a crank (not shown) may be applied to rotate that shaft iandthus shift the bafile I50 with which it is as- ;j'sociated longitudinally in the sizer I5. In this mannerjthef location and spacing of the various aftleshI-50- maybe varied at will to alter the to which articles may be separated'by Similarly, on the other 6 the inclined walls I52 of the baflles I50 lie close to the upper flight of the sizing conveyor I1 and the fruit escaping downwardly through this conveyor drops onto one of the inclined baffle walls I52 or between a pair of adjacent bafiles I50 and is thus delivered in groups between vertical walls I5I of adjacent ballles I50 and onto the upper surface of the belt I4l. Suitable conveyors or chutes (not shown) are provided to receive the fruit thus deposited on the belt II4I between each adjacent pair of baffles I50 and discharged laterally from between these baiiles by movement of the belt MI in the direction of the arrow I45 (Fig. 1).

Operation To start the sizer I5, the power means, such as a suitable electric motor, which is connected with the shafts I03 and I44, is energized to rotate these shafts and thus drive the sizing conveyor I1 and the transverse discharge conveyor I40. The fruit or other rollable articles to'be segregated are then delivered on top of the conveyor I1 at the left-hand or receiving end there of as through a chute I10 (Fig, 2). Fig. 10 illustrates the manner in which fruit F thus delivered onto the conveyor I1 issized thereby. This is eiiected by the gradual increase in the spacing of the vertically movable rollers I30 from the primary rollers I08. The rollers I08 travel in a horizontal plane throughout the period that they are located in the upper flight of the sizing conveyor I1 by virtue of the fact that the tracks 61 and 61' are straight and are supported horizontally in the machine. While thus travelling, the rollers I 00 are constantly rotated by the gear pinions H2 meshing with the rack teeth 63 provided on the track 61.

As the rollers I30 travel with the upper flight of the conveyor I1, they are supported at their opposite ends by the rail sections 93 and 96 and are rotated constantly in the same direction and at substantially the same rate as the rollers I03 by the gear pinions I33 meshing with therack teeth 91 on the rail 96.

The rail sections 96 and 96' may be disposed to form two straight tracks as shown in the drawings which are inclined downwardly to increase the spaces between the movable rollers I30 and the primary rollers I08 at a uniform and constant rate. On the other hand, the sections 96 and96' may be set by adjustment of the bolts 94 and 94' in stepped relation so that the rollers I30 drop suddenly as the gear pinions I33 and wheels I34 roll from the end of one of the pairs of track sections 96 and 96' onto the pair immediately following.

Whichever form the tracks 96 and 96 are given by their adjustable mounting on the plates 81 and 81, the bafiles I50 are adjusted to properly receive the segregated fruit as this drops downwardly through the sizing spaces formed between the primary rollers I08 and the vertically movable "rollers I30. I

Referring now to Figs. 11, 12 and 13, a modified form of the invention is there illustrated which renders it especially adaptable to handling fruits such as tomatoes which are flattened at the poles so that the axial dimension of the fruit is considerably less than the diameter thereof. In this modification, the movable rollers I 33 are provided with guiding rings I80 which preferably are formed of rubber and have softflexible fingers} 8i radiating therefr'om."The'rings I80 are spaced i along the rollers 13050 that fruit, such as 'tomatoes- T, 'being sized" by the sizer I53 will be caused to turn on edge in coming to rest between one of the rollers I30 and one of the rollers 503 as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, that is wtih their axes parallel with the rollers I08 and 36 and presenting their peripheries to the rollers I98 and 130 with the result that they will be segregated by the sizer IS in accordance with their diameters.

The rings I80 yield when the axial dimension of a piece of fruit is greater than the spacing between adjacent rings I80 as shown in Fig. 12 and thereby avoid damaging the fruit.

An alternative form of flexible guide ring 95 is shown in Fig. 13 which includes a spring steel wire ring [9| which is supported by spiral spokes 192 of similar material, the inner ends of which have lugs 13 which are driven into the wood of the roller I30 at diametrally opposite points. The guide rings ISO are designed to resist being flexed out of a plane perpendicular to the axis of the roller l39 but to flex before sufficient pressure is applied to a piece of fruit to damage the same.

What I claim is:

1. In a sizer the combination of: a frame; a pair of endless chains; means for supporting and causing said endless chains to travel in spaced relation on said frame; a set of primary rollers; means for pivotally mounting said primary rollers on said chains in uniform parallel spaced relation; a set of movable rollers; means for mounting one of said movable rollers on said chains in the space between each adjacent pair of said primary rollers, said means guiding said movable roller to maintain it in a vertical plane bisecting the space between the primary rollers between which said movable roller is mounted; means for causing said chains to travel on said frame to cause all of said rollers to be carried thereby in a given direction on said frame; and track means for supporting said primary rollers and said movable rollers to cause a progressive increase in the spacing between said movable rollers and said primary rollers as said rollers are carried in said direction by said chains.

2. In a sizer the combination of: a frame; a pair of endless chains; means for supporting and causing said endless chains to travel in spaced relation on said frame; a set of primary rollers; means for pivotally mounting said primary rollers on said chains in uniform parallel spaced relasaid rollers to be carried thereby in a given direction on said frame; and track means forsuppo-rting said, firstrnentionedgroup of. rollers an dwsaid droprollers and causing-the latter to descend to progressively increase the spacing'be" tween said drop rollers and said primary rollers as said rollers arecarried in said direction by said chains. I

3. In a sizer. the combination of :a frame; a pair of endless chains means forsupporting and causing said endless chains to travel in spaced relation on said frame; means forrotatablymounting a set of rollers on said chains in uniformspaced relation; means formounting a movable roller on said-chains in thespacebetween each adjacent pair of the aforesaid rollers,said

means guiding saidmovable roller to maintain it in a plane perpendicular to said chains and bisecting the space between the rollers between which said movable roller is mounted; means for causing said chains to travel on said frame to cause said rollers to be carried thereby in a given direction on said frame; diverging tracks for supporting said first mentioned group of rollers and said movable rollers to cause a progressive increase in the spacing between said movable rollers and said other rollers as said rollers are carried in said direction by said chains; and means on said rollers and said tracks for causing all of said rollers to rotate in the same direction and at a substantially uniform rate.

4. A combination as in claim 1 in which said movable roller mounting means comprises a series of guides adjacent each of said chains which are linked together by the means for pivotally mounting said primary rollers upon said chains, each of said guides having a vertical guide slot; and trunnions on opposite ends of each movable roller which extend through and are guided by said guide slots in a corresponding pair of said guides.

5. A combination as in claim 1 in which said movable roller mounting means comprises a series of guides adjacent each of said chains which are linked together by the means for pivotally mounting said primary rollers upon said chains, each of said guides having a vertical guide slot; trunnions on opposite ends of each movable roller which extend through and are guided by said guide slots in a correspondin pair of said guides; and wheels on said primary rollers and on said trunnions which ride on said track means to cause all of said rolls to rotate in the same direction as they travel with said chains.

6. A. combination as in claim 1 in which said movable roller mounting means comprises a series of guides adjacent each of said chains which are linked together by the means for pivotally mounting said primary rollers upon said chain, each of said guides having a vertical guide slot; trunnions on opposite ends of each movable roller which extend through and are guided by said guide slots a corresponding pair of said guides; and wheels provided on opposite ends of said primary rollers and on said trunnions which wheels roll on said track means, the wheels on at least one side of said sizer being gear pinions while the track sections on which said pinions ride have rack teeth with which said pinions mesh to cause all of said rollers to be positively rotated in the same direction and at substantially the same rate as said rollers travel with said chains.

7. In a sizer the combination of: a frame; a pair of endless chains; means for supporting and causing said endless chains to travel in the same direction .at the same rate alongcorreSpOnding paths in spaced parallel relation on saidfram'e;

riain tracks for supporting corresponding flights of said chains; a series of in'wardly extending spaced correspondingpairs; of pinsprovidedon said chains; a set of primary rollers having sleeves extending from their opposite ends to receive said pins and thus pivotally mount said rollers on said chains; a set of wheels, one of which isprovidd on each of said sleeves, a pair of tracks disposed parallel. to said chain tracks andon whichsaid wheels roll to support said primary rollers; a series of guides on each sideof, said sizer, each of said guides having openings which receive the sleeves of corresponding ends oil a pair'of -said primary rollers, the guides of each serieslthus overlapping each other and being linked together by said roller sleeves .on one .side of. said sizer,

each of said guides also having a guide slot at right angles to the plane of said sleeve opening; a set of movable rollers having trunnions at their opposite ends and wheels fixed on said trunnions, said trunnions extending through and being guided by said guide slots; and a pair of tracks on which said trunnion wheels roll, said guide tracks diverging relative to said sleeve wheel track whereby travel of said rollers with said chains causes a progressive change in the spacing between said movable rollers and said primary rollers.

8. A combination as in claim 7 in which the wheels aforesaid on one side of said sizer are gear pinions and the tracks on which they ride are provided with rack teeth with which said pinions mesh so as to positively rotate all of said rollers in the same direction, and at substantially the same rate, as said rollers travel with said chains.

BRUNO E. BALDUF. 2

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

